Emergency Preparedness updates

• Advocate Capitol news bureau
• Published: Aug 30, 2008 - UPDATED: 3:51 p.m.

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3:51 p.m. Sunday

Louisiana State Police spokesman Lt. Doug Cain said lat this afternoon that 1.9 million people have evacuated south Louisiana. That would leave about 100,000 people south of Interstate 10, he said.

4:55 p.m., Saturday

The state Agriculture and Forestry Department is trying to ensure that people with pets but without transportation are still getting out of harms way as Hurricane Gustav approaches.

During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, some coastal residents refused to evacuate without their pets, which were not allowed on evacuation buses, refusing to lose one more thing to the storm.

More than 100,000 animals had to be rescued after evacuations, either because they were left behind or because owners were not allowed to take them on buses.

 "It was bad. It was horrible," said Sam Irwin, spokesman for the Agriculture and Forestry Department.

This time, the state is busing residents with pets but without transportation to a shelter in Shreveport. Their pets will be kept at a nearby shelter, which will house about 2,500 animals.

"We think we're being a little conservative in that estimate," Irwin said.

More shelters will be opened as the need arises, he said.

 Irwin said they are urging people in need of assistance with pets to call the department immediately, as it will take time to register pets and get them acquainted to their new surroundings.

"The first thing we want to do is get the people with critical transportation needs squared away," Irwin said. "We don't want Snowball being left behind."

 Residents who do not have a means to evacuate should call their local offices of emergency preparedness to find out where they need to go, Irwin said.